Hard lessons
by carrowfly
Summary: Harley Quinn arrives at Poison Ivy's home again, bruised and battered. This time Ivy isn't so comforting, she wants to teach Harley a lesson.


Moonlight flooded the bedroom, illuminating the queen-sized bed with sombre white rays. Underneath a haphazard ruby, silk sheet Poison Ivy was wide awake; fully aware of the warm body next to her. Harley wasn't sleeping either. The two had been lying in silence for the past hour since they had retired to bed together.

It had been a day much like every other for Ivy spent cooped up in her lab, working on the latest batch of feed for her new baby. Her baby being Goliath, the new gigantic Venus fly-trap and bat-catcher extraordinaire. She couldn't wait to test him in the field but first, she needed to ensure he got his nutrients.

Ivy had been unaware how many hours she had poured into developing the feed when there had been a knock at her door. She signed, recognising the hesitant soft rapping. Harley was back and she could guarantee it wasn't just a social call. Just once she wished the blonde bombshell would visit her for her and not just because she needed patching up… Again.

Ivy had been determined to ignore the knocking, but it persisted for a whole 10 minutes after the first. Then, the door was silent. Ivy had thought she'd won. Satisfaction washing through her body with a tinge of disappointment. She'd allow herself to feel guilty once Goliath had been taken care of. It wasn't her fault Harley had no idea how to look after herself.

A sudden thud broke that train of thought. It sounded more like a body hitting her door. Had Harley collapsed on her doorstep? Groaning Ivy decided she would have to investigate. She opened her front door and the harlequin jester spilled into her home, bloody and unconscious.

"Why do you do this to yourself? To me?" She asked, summoning a vine to help her move the broken girl into the light. This would be it. This would be the last time she'd help her. Ivy promised herself as she got to work cleaning and dressing Harley's wounds.

When Harley had regained consciousness, the two had settled on the sofa to watch television. After a hot chocolate and a family film Ivy was thoroughly disinterested in, the two decided it was time for bed. Ivy had offered the jester her spare room but Harley hadn't wanted to be alone. Ivy always had struggled to say no to her.

Harley stirred, whimpering softly as her arm throbbed in white hot pain. It broke the silence and triggered a cascade of emotions within her friend. The pathetic sound set Ivy's teeth on edge. A familiar fury burned beneath her skin. She was sick and tired of this toxic circle.

"Why do you stay with him?" Ivy demanded, baring her teeth. She rolled over, purposefully facing Harley.

Harley turned away from her, eyes wet with tears. She squeezed them shut, willing the tears to not fall. "I love him Red. You know this." She mumbled weakly, hoping this would be the end of the matter. Knowing Ivy, it never was.

"And what about him?" Ivy's green eyes flashed with anger in the darkness. Harley wished she'd opted to sleep in the guest room instead. "You actually believe he loves you too?" The green woman spoke with a harsh tone. Harley had felt her anger before but tonight felt different.

They'd had this conversation a dozen times before and every time it was the same old conversation running around in circles. Everything was the same in Harley's life. Like ground hog day but not as entertaining. It never was as funny when the joke was on you. Her Puddin' would disagree.

"He does… In his way… You wouldn't understand." Harley replied with a soft sigh. "No one does." Her tone was coloured with equal measures of obsession and possession. She still believed she was the only one that could reach out to him. It really was tragic.

Ivy grabbed Harley's shoulder, rolling her back to face her. The blonde was compliant, her expression mournful.

Ivy traced her fingers along the blonde's black eye. Her slender green fingers ghosting across the tender, bruised flesh he'd left her with. "Is this really what you think love looks like?"

Harley flinched away, "that hurt's Red." She scolded but she didn't dare move her face away.

Something snapped within Poison Ivy.

She was angry. No. She was furious and right now, Harley was going to bare the brunt of that anger. The poor jester was used of it after all.

Ivy straddled the blonde in one deft motion, pinning her arms down as her baby blues flew open in surprise. "Red?" She whispered, frozen in place. White heat shot through her elbow again, the deep bruise hadn't sufficient time to recover and her friend was really testing her pain threshold here. Harley grit her teeth, trying to contain it.

"Poison Ivy." The plant woman corrected, leaning in close to the bruised clown and nipping her neck. Harley bristled, her muscles tensing. Ivy could tell the girl wanted to flee but she hadn't finished making her point. She wasn't about to let her captive free so easily. This was a dangerous play on her part, but now she was over the pretty blonde she found she didn't want to move away.

Harley was equally shocked and terrified. Ivy had never made such a bold advance on her before- especially when that advance came unwanted. "Ives…" She pleaded, trying to slide out from under the woman but Ivy pinned her forcibly.

Harley was warm beneath her and squirming in such a delightful fashion against her own body. Poison Ivy pressed her lips to the nape of Harley's neck and kissed her softly. Resisting the urge to buck her hips.

Harley struggled but her friend was stronger, more determined. "Red let me go!" The jester shrieked, panic consuming her.

"What? I can't take what I want?" Ivy breathed into her captive's neck, husky and hungry. "Don't you love me Harl?" Her voice was cruel and mocking. It was a tone Harley never wanted to hear again.

Harley burst into tears, great sobs racking through her small and broken body. Pamela's eyes widened in shock and she pulled away from Harley in an instant. Guilt clenched her stomach and she felt sick.

If not for the moonlight it would have been obvious that Ivy had paled into a sickly green.

The green vixen felt her stomach wretch and she rushed into the bathroom, emptying her guts into the toilet. Panic gripped her when she heard light footsteps hurry from the bedroom. Harley was fleeing from her. She'd blown it. Pamela had blown it.

That's when she felt shaking hands pull back her hair, another hesitant hand rubbing her back. "Let it out Red." A small voice encouraged. Pamela wretched again, throwing up the remaining bile from her stomach. Her eyes flushed with tears and she sobbed into the toilet bowl.

Harley cooed her gently, "shhh, it's alright. I've got you."


End file.
